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How to use a resonance board – top tips and activity ideas


What is a resonance board?

A resonance board is a sensory tool designed to provide tactile and vibrational stimulation. It is usually made of a flat piece of material – such as wood or plastic – which is mounted on a base or lip that allows it to vibrate or resonate.

The vibrations produced by the resonance board can be gentle or intense, depending on what is used on it. Resonance boards are versatile tools that can be used in a variety of activities to support and encourage sensory exploration, motor development, and emotional regulation.

Considerations for using a resonance board

  • Use a quiet environment. All sounds in the room will resonate through the board.
  • Pay attention to the learner’s cues and signals and work at their pace.
  • Give the learner choices and control over what is on the board.
  • Avoid overwhelming the learner with too many stimuli; start with one and gradually introduce more.
  • Clearly signal the start and finish of a session.
  • Give plenty of time to adjust when finishing an activity on the resonance board

Activity ideas (introduced in different sessions)

  1. Hands and feet: Tap your fingers on the board. Encourage the learner to repeat what you have done. Tap your feet on the board. Can the learner repeat? Alternate left and right foot. Tap out a rhythm with your feet or hands and see if they will copy. Drum fingers, tap with whole hand. Feel the different vibrations and listen for different sounds.
  2. Bangles, strings of beads or chains: Drape over arms or grasp in hands. Move arms up and down, first one side, then the other. Put the items flat on the surface of the board and experiment pulling them back and forth, or spinning them round and round.
  3. Bowls: Use a metal or plastic bowl on the board. Drop objects in and swirl them around. Add more and feel for a difference. You could use balls, cubes, beads, chains.
  4. Sound-making toys: There are a wide number of noisy / moving / vibrating toys available. Pick one of the learner’s favourites and experiment using it on the board.
  5. Wheeled / rolling toys: Use toy cars or balls to roll back and forth on the board. Try different sizes and feel for a difference.
  6. Survival blankets: Open up and place them under the learner or underneath resources such as those mentioned previously. Experiment moving hands / feet / objects slowly and quickly, back and forth, round and round.
  7. Spoons / shakers / drumsticks: Tap out rhythms, copy the leader. The learner could initiate and you could copy.

You can find a more detailed breakdown of some of the activities alongside activity cards here:

Things to look out for

  • What type of movements does the learner enjoy?
  • What are the materials they engage with the most?
  • Are they more or less active with certain activities?
  • Do they speak / vocalise more or less with certain activities?
  • Do they respond differently to resources that are closer to them?
  • Do they disengage from certain activities / resources?

Keep an informal record of the session by writing any important observations. Try to do this shortly after the session finishes.

Date and timeActivity (which specific one were you doing?)Response (How did the learner react?)Actions (What would you change next time or how would you develop further?
    

Further ideas for resonance boards

  1. Music exploration: Place various musical instruments, such as drums, bells, or chimes, on the resonance board. Explore the different sounds and vibrations produced by striking or touching the instruments.
  2. Sensory stories: Create sensory stories by placing objects or props related to it on the resonance board. As the story is told, the learner can feel the vibrations and interact with the objects to enhance their sensory experience.
  3. Relaxation and Calming Activities: Play calming music or sounds whilst learners lie or sit comfortably on the board. The gentle vibrations can help promote relaxation and sensory regulation.

These activities can be adapted based on the needs and preferences of the learner.


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